service indicator Acura TSX 2008 Owner's Manual

2008 TSX Online Reference Owner's Manual
Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... i A Few Words About Safety .............................................................................................................................. iii
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) .................................................................................................... 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) .................................................... 5
Instruments and Controls
(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard and steering column)
.......... 59
Features (
climate control,audio,steering wheel,security,cruise control,HomeLink®,and other convenience items
) ........... 159
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading) ...................................................................... 231
Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 247
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 277
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) .............................. 323
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 347
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 365
Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ......................................................................................... 369
Index ............................................................................................................................... ........................................ I

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)

1
00X31-TL1-6000

A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Important inf ormation about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable inf ormation on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
the multi-information display, and
how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, and other convenience f eatures.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.
The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance service.
There is also a list of things to check
and instructions on how to check
them.
The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you’re
planning to tow a trailer.
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual f or detailed
inf ormation.
How to order manuals and other
technical literature.
A summary of the inf ormation you
need when you pull up to the f uel
pump.
Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls
T echnical Inf ormation
T aking Care of the Unexpected
Maintenance
Driving
Bef ore Driving
Features Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
Overview of Contents
2
\f—\f—
y
y
(\fy\f\f\fy
2008 TSX

µ
This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts. It
explains how your airbags work. And
it tells you how to properly restrain
inf ants and children in your vehicle.
.........
Important Safety Precautions .6
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features .7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens .11
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors .11
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats .12
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs .13
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints .14
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
.....................................
Belts .15
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .16
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women .17
...
Additional Safety Precautions .18
Additional Inf ormation About .......................
Your Seat Belts .19
..
Seat Belt System Components .19 ......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .20
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .21
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance .22
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .23
......
Airbag System Components .23
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .26
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .30
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work .31
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .32
How the Side Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .32
How the Passenger Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .33
.............................
Airbag Service .34
...
Additional Safety Precautions .35
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .36
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .36
All Children Should Sit in a .................................
Back Seat .37The Passenger’s Front Airbag
.........
Can Pose Serious Risks .37
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .39
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .39
...
Additional Safety Precautions .40
Protecting Inf ants and .........................
Small Children .41
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .41
.........
Protecting Small Children .42
......................
Selecting Child Seats .44
....................
Installing a Child Seat .45
Installing a Child Seat ............................
with LATCH .46
......
with a Lap/Shoulder Belt .48
...........................
with a Tether .49
...........
Protecting Larger Children .51
...............
Checking Seat Belt Fit .51
..................
Using a Booster Seat .52
When Can a Larger Child Sit
....................................
in Front .53
...
Additional Safety Precautions .54
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .55
...................................
Saf ety Labels .56
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5
——
y
y
(y
y
2008 TSX

This indicator comes on when the
security system is set. For more
inf ormation, see page .This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
This indicator has two f unctions:
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are signif icantly low
on pressure.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see page ).
You may see one or more of the low
pressure tire positions displayed
along with this message.
Check the tire pressure monitor on
the multi-inf ormation display and
determinethecause(seepage). If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe, check which tire
has lost pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
have the flat tire repaired as soon as
possible. If two or more tires are
underinf lated, call a prof essional
towing service. For more
inf ormation, see page .
If this indicator begins to f lash,
there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS). You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display. The indicator continues to
f lash f or a while (approximately 1
minute), then stays on. If this
happens, have your dealer check
the system as soon as possible.
For more inf ormation, see page .
205 1.
265
265 345
2.
267
Instrument Panel Indicators
Security System Indicator Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Inst rument s and Cont rols
67
SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR
\f—\f—
y

y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 TSX

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance. Use
of a gasoline with a pump octane
number less than 87 can lead to
engine damage.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
We recommend quality gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we stronglyrecommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
On vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
232
\f—\f—
y
y
(\fy\fy
2008 TSX

Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapor f rom going into the
atmosphere. Try f illing at another
pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer.To Open the Hood:
Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malf unction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL
CAP’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
1.
6.
4.
5.
336
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Service Station Procedure
Opening and Closing the Hood
234
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
\f—\f—
y
\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 TSX

Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.When the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator is on, one or more of your
tires is signif icantly underinf lated.
Youshouldstopandcheckyourtires
as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure as indicated
on the vehicle’s tire inf ormation
placard.If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly to the station, then
inflate the tire to the recommended
pressure.
Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Becausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator may come on unexpectedly.
If the tire is flat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire (see page ).
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator in the
instrument panel to come on. If this
happens, you will see which tire is
losing pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display along with a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message. It is possible that the pressures
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display and the pressures you
manually measure are slightly
dif f erent.
If the dif f erence is signif icant or you
cannot make the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator and message on the
multi-inf ormation display go out af ter
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible. 324
CONT INUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Driving
263
\f—\f—
y

y
(\fy\fy
2008 TSX

If you have a f lat tire, the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator and tire
monitor indicator will come on.
Replace the indicated f lat tire with
thecompactsparetire(seepage).
It is possible that the pressures
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display and the pressures you
manually measure are slightly
dif f erent.
If the dif f erence is signif icant or you
cannot make the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator and message on the
multi-inf ormation display go out af ter
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible.
After the flat tire is replaced with the
spare tire, the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator stays on while
driving. Af ter several miles
(kilometers) driving, this indicator
begins to f lash, then stays on again.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TPMS
SYSTEM’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. This is normal;
the system cannot monitor the spare
tire pressure. Manually check the
sparetirepressuretobesureitis
correct.
This indicator and the warning
message on the multi-inf ormation
display will go of f , af ter several miles
(kilometers) driving, when the sparetire is replaced with the specified
regular tire equipped with the tire
pressure monitor sensor.
Each wheel is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor mounted inside the
tire behind the valve stem. You must
use TPMS specif ic wheels. It is
recommended that you always have
your tires serviced by your dealer or
a qualif ied technician.
Never use a puncture-repairing agent
in a f lat tire. If used, you will have to
replace the tire pressure sensor.
Havetheflattirerepairedbyyour
dealer as soon as possible.
324
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Changing a T ire with T PMS
266
\f—\f—
y
y
(\fy\f
y
2008 TSX

CONT INUED
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
15 to 6 %, the multi-inf ormation
display shows a ‘‘SERVICE DUE
SOON’’ message along with the
maintenance item code(s) indicating
themainandsubitemsrequiredat
thetimeof theoilchange.Referto
page f or a complete list of the
maintenance main items and sub
items.When the message appears, the
system message indicator also
comes on (see page ). Even after
you press the INFO button to cancel
the message, the indicator continues
to stay on until you have the service
perf ormed.
To cancel the message, press the
INFO button on the steering wheel.
Af ter the message on the multi-
inf ormation display is canceled by
pressing the INFO button, the
engine oil lif e display will appear in
the lower segment. You will see the
percentage of the remaining engine
oillifeandthemaintenanceitem
code(s) displayed.
75
289
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
281
MAIN ITEM SUB ITEMS
MAINTENANCE ITEM CODE(S)
\f—\f—
y

\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 TSX

Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators.
Excessive tread wear.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord. Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread lef t on
the tire. The service lif e of your tires is
dependent on many f actors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inf lation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last four digits of the TIN (tire
identif ication number) are f ound on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
on page ).355
Tire Inspection
Tire Service Lif e
Tire
Labeling
Tires
316
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
\f—\f—
y
\fy
(\fy\f
y
2008 TSX